Welwyn Hatfield

Welwyn Hatfield's population expanded between the last two censuses. Data from the census also show there were changes in marriage, ethnicity and religion.

The population passed 100,000

In the 10 years leading up to 2011, the population of Welwyn Hatfield increased by 13%, from almost 97,600 to 111,000.

The addition of just under 13,000 people means this area's population increased faster than the rate of growth across England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Welwyn Hatfield was home to, on average, 6.1 people per football pitch-sized piece of land.

Population density was higher than the average across Eastof England

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across Eastof England, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

A younger Welwyn Hatfield

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Welwyn Hatfield decreased by two years, from 38 to 36 years.

This city had a lower average age than Eastof England and became somewhat younger than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The fall in age was because of an increase of about 6,000 people between the ages of 20 and 29 years, while the population between 70 and 79 years decreased by just under 500.

About 17% of people in Welwyn Hatfield are aged between 20 and 29 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, East and Welwyn Hatfield by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

More single people in Welwyn Hatfield

Welwyn Hatfield saw England's third-largest rise in the proportion of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership.

In 2011, just under 4 in 10 (39%) people aged 16 and over in Welwyn Hatfield said they were single, compared with 31% in 2001. The percentage that said they were married decreased from 51% to 45%.

England's largest increase in the proportion of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership occurred in Lincoln (from 34% to 44%) followed by Newcastle upon Tyne (from 38% to 47%).

The proportion of people who had never married or entered a civil partnership in Welwyn Hatfield increased by 8.2 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over in Welwyn Hatfield, Eastof England and England that said they were single, March 2001 and March 2011

Disability in Welwyn Hatfield

Welwyn Hatfield saw Eastof England's largest fall in the proportion of people who are slightly limited by a long-term health problem or disability.

In 2011, just over 1 in 16 (6.4%) in Welwyn Hatfield reported being limited a little in their day-to-day activities, compared with 7.3% in 2001. The percentage who are considerably limited by a long-term health problem or disability increased from 2.4% to 3.0%.

Across the region, Thurrock saw the next largest decrease in the proportion of people who are slightly limited by a long-term health problem or disability (from 6.2% in 2001 to 5.5% in 2011).

The proportion of people who are limited a little by a long-term health problem or disability was lower than across Eastof England

Percentage of usual residents that reported being slightly limited in their day-to-day activities across local authority areas in Eastof England and the average across England, March 2011

More students

The percentage of Welwyn Hatfield residents that were studying increased from 4.0% to 6.8% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

In 2011, just over one in two (51%) people aged 16 to 74 said they were employed, compared with 54% in 2001. The percentage of Welwyn Hatfield residents that were unemployed increased from 2.0% to 3.3%.

The proportion of students increased faster here than in any other local authority district across Eastof England. As a result, this area had the region’s highest proportion of students.

The percentage of students in Welwyn Hatfield increased by 2.8 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 in Welwyn Hatfield, Eastof England and England that said they were in education, March 2001 and March 2011

Ethnicity in Welwyn Hatfield

The number of people in Welwyn Hatfield from the White ethnic groups decreased from just over 91,000 in 2001 to about 93,000 in 2011. However, as a percentage of the total population, this represented a decrease from 94% to 84%.

The percentage decreased by more than the average across Eastof England (from 95% to 90%) and the average across England (from 91% to 85%).

The number of people in Welwyn Hatfield from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups increased from about 3,100 in 2001 to about 8,700 in 2011 (from 3.1% to 7.9%). The number of residents from the Black, Black British, Caribbean or African ethnic groups increased from just over 1,300 to about 5,000 (from 1.4% to 4.5%).

Just under 2,800 people (1.4%) said they were from Mixed/multiple ethnic groups (White and Asian, White and Black African, White and Black Caribbean or Other Mixed), up from about 1,300 in 2001 (2.5%).

The population from the White ethnic groups in Welwyn Hatfield decreased by 9.6 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, East and Welwyn Hatfield by ethnicity, March 2001 and March 2011

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